Dean Smith was more than simply a basketball coach. Yes, the retired Hall of Famer left North Carolina as the winningest coach in men’s history after capturing two national titles along with the 1976 Olympic gold medal and coaching some of the sport’s biggest names, Michael Jordan among them. But he also was an innovator Read More…

COLUMBUS — After a tough win Thursday at Northwestern, coach Thad Matta was hesitant to say that Ohio State might be hitting its stride. Sunday afternoon, Matta was willing to grant that things are trending in that direction. Freshman D’Angelo Russell scored 22 points and added 10 assists for his second double-double of the season Read More…

COLUMBUS — After leading Ohio State to a national championship, Joey Bosa had one question for the 45,000 fans who crowded into Ohio Stadium in late January. “How are you guys out here right now? It’s freezing,” he said from a makeshift stage erected on the south end of the field. Buckeyes fans were on Read More…

EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern’s Tre Demps paid Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell the ultimate compliment Thursday night. After one of Russell’s 12 field goals, a key one in the second half, all Demps could do after failing to defend him was trot up the court and shake his head. “He’s going to make a lot of Read More…

Brad Bournival The Gazette BRUNSWICK — Steven Ficyk has never been one to shy away from competition. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Brunswick senior proved that in a two-year career as the starting quarterback, throwing for 3,763 yards and 36 touchdowns. So when Division II Hillsdale College told him on his official visit he had a chance Read More…

Brad Bournival The Gazette BRUNSWICK — Many prospective athletes pick colleges based on the X’s and O’s of the game. Elliot Laisure did it for the ABC’s. When faced with a decision between Hillsdale, Notre DameCollege, John Carroll, Findlay and Lake Erie, the Brunswick defensive end chose Hillsdale for the reason many prospective freshman should. Read More…

COLUMBUS — Quarterback Cardale Jones shocked the college football world in three late-season starts leading Ohio State to the national championship. He surprised a packed crowd again Thursday, declaring at his old high school in Cleveland that he would return to the Buckeyes rather than jump into the NFL Draft. “My decision was very simple. Read More…

PHOENIX — The players who earned a chance to play in the inaugural College Football Playoff had more than a month to prepare for the biggest games of their lives. Once the national championship game was over, the elite players had a much shorter window to make the biggest decision of their lives. Try three Read More…

DALLAS — While Urban Meyer was doing most of the talking, Cardale Jones owned the room. Ohio State’s rising star quarterback was all big grins, silly smirks, rolling eyes and mischievous glances Tuesday, the day after he helped the Buckeyes roll Oregon 42-20 to win the first College Football Playoff national championship. Jones said that Read More…

DALLAS — Here’s the scary part for the rest of major-college football: Some of Ohio State’s best players didn’t play in Monday night’s championship game, and many of those who did are coming back. “We’ll be very good,” Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer said in the understatement of the season. Asked about repeating, he smiled and Read More…